Blue Homeland Law

Mavi Vatan Law is a legislative initiative aimed at regulating Türkiye’s sovereignty rights over its maritime jurisdictional areas, maritime security policies, and applications concerning international maritime law within a comprehensive legal framework.

It is stated that the regulation, prepared by the Justice and Development Party, aims to provide legal assurance for Türkiye’s rights and interests in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Aegean Sea. It is indicated that the draft law is planned to be submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye after Eid al-Adha.

One of the fundamental elements of the proposed regulation is the definition of Türkiye’s legal framework for its maritime jurisdictional areas.

The draft law envisages defining the limits of Türkiye’s maritime zones, namely the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf, under a single foundational law. This aims to clearly establish the legal standards Türkiye will apply within its maritime jurisdictional areas.

The regulation is expected to consolidate legal areas previously scattered across various regulations or not explicitly defined, bringing them under a single umbrella. In this context, the objective is to clarify the legal framework concerning maritime jurisdictional areas, security practices, protection of marine resources, and activities in international waters.

It is stated that the draft law constitutes the first comprehensive regulation to directly incorporate the “Mavi Vatan” doctrine, which has gained significant importance in Türkiye’s foreign policy and security strategy in recent years, into domestic law.

The “Mavi Vatan” approach is defined as a maritime doctrine based on Türkiye’s claimed sovereignty over surrounding seas, rights to energy resources, security interests in maritime trade routes, and its military-strategic position.

It is indicated that the draft law seeks to move this doctrine beyond mere strategic or political rhetoric and ground it in a legal framework.

The draft regulation is said to include provisions addressing the legal status of islands, islets, and rocks in the Aegean Sea, which have occasionally been sources of diplomatic tension between Türkiye and Greece.

It is reported that the legal nature of these areas, designated as “grey zones,” is planned to be defined in the law in accordance with the principles of international maritime law. The regulation aims to provide a clearer legal framework for Türkiye’s approach to its sovereignty and jurisdictional rights in the Aegean Sea.

It is stated that during the preparation of the draft law, coordinated work was carried out with bureaucrats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye.

Comparative analyses have been conducted between international maritime law norms and the Turkish legal system. It is indicated that the regulation aims to create a structure that simultaneously respects international legal principles and Türkiye’s national security and sovereignty approach.

It is also noted that technical opinions and recommendations from the Turkish Armed Forces and the Command of the Navy have been incorporated into the preparatory process.

It is stated that the proposed regulation aims to strengthen Türkiye’s maritime security policies with more robust legal foundations.

The draft law is expected to clarify Türkiye’s approach to security in maritime trade routes, rights to energy resources, and applications concerning the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Furthermore, it is indicated that the regulation seeks to protect Türkiye’s areas of activity in international waters and place its strategic mobility at sea under legal guarantee.